Chapter 86: Nightmare Rewards
Congratulations to the first team to complete the nightmare difficulty of a dungeon, although this achievement is now taken do remember that the first completion of individual dungeons is still available.
Rewards have been granted.
They saw that for some reason Ezekiel was unconscious and they began to worry about what had happened to him so they carried him away to the camp where the NPCs could have a look.
"How do you think that spell works? He used more projectiles before but those bombs did more damage."
Layla was excited over their victory but she seemed confused by the result.
"Oh that\'s easy, maybe that shadow magic mess can do something similar to other damage over time effects? See when you cause a DOT you actually get the chance to make them stack if you cause enough of them with a high enough chance."
"Ok but that was the first time I\'ve seen him do something that caused that much damage, his other aoe abilities don\'t do neearly as much?"
Thanatos simply shrugged.
"Listen man I don\'t really care what he can do as long as he\'s on my side, do you really care about how it is possible to do so much damage with a bomb?"
Layla stepped between the two and cut their conversation short.
"Seriously, think about it. Do you think that even if he teaches you what he did that you\'d be able to replicate it? He\'s been trying to replicate the assassin skill right? Has he said he was successful yet?"
Shade shook his head and thought about it.
"He still asks for advice on it..."
"Then maybe a mage can\'t learn the death mark skill?"
The group went quiet again before Hope suddenly shrieked in happiness.
"I got something amazing!"
She showed them an amulet and a scroll.
"I got a piece of gear for my unique set and I got a scroll that will let me instantly raise my classes to the next rank!"
She was bouncing around in happiness and the others congratulated her.
When shade checked his own rewards he saw that he had obtained an incredible unique dagger that would finally help him achieve more damage.
He also told them about his options for his second reward.
"I have a choice between a class upgrade scroll like Hope, a skill upgrade scroll, a species upgrade scroll, a bloodline refinement scroll and an item upgrade scroll..."
"Ooh you got the exact same choices as I did, I wonder if they are all the same?"
As soon as he heard this Thanatos checked his own rewards, he showed a ring to the group but his true prize was something that had been exactly what he hoped he could get.
"The bloodline refinement scroll is the besy option! Trust me."
The others did not really know what to think but they nodded and considered what he said for when they chose their rewards.
Layla was the next to choose her reward and when she showed off a brand new set of armor as well as a scroll for improving her race she simply shrugged.
"I get the greatest stat bonuses from my species so it\'s definitely what I need, plus the sexist demon told me that the mext species upgrade happens at lv250 and I once saw Belial chage races twice in one period."
The others nodded and continued down the path they had practically worn into the dirt from constantly moving between the points.
~
When Ezekiel finally woke up his head was pounding.
He sat up with a groan and the others immediately began to check up on him.
He saw that all four of his allies were present as well as Leya, the Ashbringer, she was watching him with deep concern in her eyes and for the first time he actually felt touched by the way the demoness looked at him.
It was certainly better than how her sister looked at him.
"You blacked out because you keep using your mana too much, you keep abusing the Archdevil race skill and what\'s worse is you constantly burn through your vitality when you do. You should not be using it so much."
She seemed genuinely upset with him as if he were worrying her by acting recklessly.
"I\'m an otherworlder remember? Even if the skill kills me I\'ll just come back ok? Calm down."
He truly disliked how they acted like he was some frail creature that had to be protected.
"....Fine get your rewards dealt with so we can get you home... our home I meant not your home, sorry Belial."
The way she seemed to genuinely try to be courteous with him actually made him feel bad for being rude.
While the others were testing out their new items and using their reward scrolls Layla approached him when he was checking his own.
He had obtained a nice pair of boots that seemed to match the leather of his other items, apparently more void beast gear and the way the skill sounded actually execited him.
Void Beast Treads
Increases vitality.
While worn the user can expend mana to traverse the void and instantly appear where chosen, distance traveled expends an equivalent amount of mana.
"Hey Zeke I know the demons are kinda rude about... well, your gender, but you should probably try to be nicer to Leya. I think she\'s actually trying to be nice you know?"
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He sighed and nodded.
"I mean even if they can be rude and sexist as hell they still came here to protect you from a group that would have tried to send you back to lv1 right?"
He nodded again and looked through his optional rewards, one in particular excited him.
\'The void beast bloodline is amazing, what if I tried to refine it to the next level?\'
"Hey are you listening to me?"
She startled him out of his thoughts and he looked back at her.
"Yes jesus ok I\'ll be nice to her, I was going to choose my reward and you scared the hell out of me Layla."
She laughed at him and just nodded.
"Fine, remember what I said."
He selected the scroll and activated it.
Activating Bloodline Refinement scroll.
Error
E̶̮͂r̵͍͘ŕ̵͓o̶̘͠r̵̼͑
Ĕ̵̛͍͕͇̼̇̾̀͂r̴̨̼̲͌͆̓̏̕͘͝r̸̲͉̼͚̠͒̏͝͝͠ọ̸̡̟̚r̵̳̗͋
Emergency intervention required.
Bloodline refinement scroll activation forcefully cancelled.
This region is not safe for activation please leave region and when a safe region is detected refinement will continue.
\'What the hell?!?! Did it just stop my reward?\'
He sighed in defeat before looking at the two demonesses who seemed to be waiting for him.
"Can I at least say my goodbyes? I want to make sure they can talk to me down the line."
Kira began to protest but her sister practically punched her in the head with how hard she struck her.
He turned to the group and began to write something down on the same pages he had written his notes on the dungeon.
"This is a username you can message me at, it\'s my tag on Wonderland ok? I will update you guys on everything that happens while i\'m there and I hope you guys will message me about your own achievements."
After giving them that paper he nodded to the two that he was ready.
As they left the area he was sad to leave the friends he had made but he knew that kf they were truly his friends they would message him.
It wasn\'t like his username was hard to remember anyway so it\'s not like there would be any excuses.
Inside of the city he watched as players rushed to a fro to complete tasks for their event progress, a few recognized him and tried to follow but the two demons that guarded him quickly out an end to it.
They finally stopped in front of the same gate that the celestial players had arrived from and Leya quickly tossed a handful of gold coins into it, it was like they melted into the portal to create a vortex.
Leya entered and Kira pushed him forward roughly to make sure he went through, but she stayed behind to guard the city.
As soon as he was through the gate he saw a beautiful city made of black stone with incredible construction.
The area was clear and a sudden tremble rocked the earth.
He saw an incredibly beautiful devil woman with dark skin and striking red eyes approaching, not only did her horns look majestic but she had two pairs of wings which made him think she was beyond the Archdevil rank.
"I am Lucretia Shadow, I am the queen of the infernal race and you are now safe from your enemies, wherever your path takes you we will support it."
She had the most beautiful smile he had ever seen and the only thing making it hard to focus on her was the fact that the sky looked like it had been torn asunder.
Safe region detected, resuming bloodline refinement. Please seek protection.
Combining Bloodlines [Child of the Void] [Lesser Void Beast] into [Abyssal Void Beast]
From the sky a horde of monstrosities began to appear and a notification sounded.
Regional Event has begun.
Return of the Void Beasts.
A void beast has been born in the world for the first time in ten thousand years, the region known as the Infernal Kingdom is under attack by an invasive force.
Protect the Infernal Kingdom or be destroyed with it, rewards will be given based on personal performance.
"Hmm already causing trouble on your first day here my beloved? That is fine, I would be disappointed if two children of the abyss existing so close to one another did not cause problems."
He could not hear her garbled words through the pain of his body changing and his mana fluctuating.
He could only watch as her wings began to flap and carry her into the sky where she faced the hordes.
It was like a person facing the swarms of hornets, or watching someone stand against a coming hail storm.
Then he saw the most glorious thing that he would every see in his life.